Preventing and Managing Climate-Related Insecurity: Lessons from the Lake Chad Basin Regional Strategy

Jun 29, 2026 | Cedric de Coning, Andrew E. Yaw Tchie, Saibou Issa, Thor Olav Iversen, and Freedom Onuoha
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The lives and livelihoods of local communities in the borderlands of the Lake Chad Basin are disrupted by both climate change and conflict, which are mutually reinforcing. Conflict undermines social cohesion and public trust and degrades the ability of communities to adapt to the effects of climate change. At the same time, climate change adds additional stresses on food, land and water security, reinforcing the political and socioeconomic conditions that drive armed conflict. In the context of a long history of marginalisation, underdevelopment and weak governance in the region, this conflux can drive people to turn to armed groups in search of alternative governance structures, economic incentives and spiritual and social dignity and meaning.